Measurement systems and measurement instrumentation

Content

Measurement systems and measurement instrumentation..................................................1 Content................................................................................................................................ 1 MEASUREMENT UNITS.................................................................................................1 SYSTEMS OF MEASUREMENT ....................................................................................3 Englis system................................................................................................................. 3 Metri! System................................................................................................................. " Con#erting measurements..............................................................................................." Con#ersion $a!tors%......................................................................................................& MEASUREMENT INSTRUMENTS......................................................................................'

MEASUREMENT UNITS
Measuring Size and Space: Measuring t e si(e o$ o)*e!ts or o$ s+a!e in#ol#es t ree related ,inds o$ measurement% 1- lengt or distan!e. /- area. and 3- #olume. 0engt or distan!e is a measurement )et1een t1o +oints. su! as t1o to1ns or t e t1o ends o$ a +en!il. Area is t e measurement o$ a sur$a!e. su! as a $loor or a $ield. 2olume is t e measurement o$ t e s+a!e en!losed )y anyt ing. su! as a )o3 or a room.

Length and distance: An!ient +eo+le measured lengt )y !om+aring t e lengt o$ one t ing. su! as a sti!,. 1it t e lengt o$ t e t ing t ey 1anted to measure. su! as an animal. T e metri! systems use t e meter as t e measurement standard $or lengt . T e !ommon units $or lengt in t e im+erial system o$ measurement are. in order o$ in!reasing si(e% inch, foot, yard and mile. T e !ommon metri! lengt units o$ measurement are t e millimeter, centimeter, decimeter, meter and kilometer.

Area: 0engt alone !annot tell t e si(e. or area o$ sur$a!e. A measurement o$ area must in!lude )ot lengt and 1idt . A s4uare meter is t e area !o#ered )y a s4uare one meter long on ea! side. An area does not a#e to )e a s4uare in order to measure it. Any area !an )e measured )y $inding out o1 many s4uare units $it into it. In t e im+erial system measurement units $or area in!lude square inches, square feet, square yards, and square miles. T e metri! system uses

square centimeters, in addition to t e s4uare meters. Some units $or area. su! as e!tare. do not in!lude t e 1ord s4uare.

Volume: T e area !o#ered )y an o)*e!t does not indi!ate its total si(e5 t at is. t e #olume o$ s+a!e it o!!u+ies. Many #olume measurements are made 1it cubic units. One !u)i! unit as t e same #olume as a !u)e 1it edges e4ual to one unit o$ lengt . T us. a !u)e 1it edges o$ 1 meter long as a #olume o$ 1 !u)i! meter. One o$ t e most im+ortant uses o$ #olume measurement in#ol#es t e !a+a!ity 6amount o$ material- t at a !ontainer !an old. Many +rodu!ts are sold )y !a+a!ity measure. T e )asi! unit o$ #olume in t e metri! system is t e cubic decimeter !ommonly !alled liter; alt oug t ese !a+a!ity measure do not use t e 1ord cubic. t ey are )ased on !u)i! measure.

Measuring weight: T e 1eig t o$ any o)*e!t is t e $or!e o$ t e eart +ull on t e mass 64uantity o$ matter- o$ t e o)*e!t. T us. 1eig t and mass are related. 7eig t measurement as a num)er o$ im+ortant uses. Many !ommon +rodu!ts are )oug t and sold )y 1eig t. T e im+erial system as t ree systems $or 1eig t measurement 1- apothecaries. /- a#oirdu+ois. and 3-troy. T e metri! system units $or mass. t e gram and t e kilogram. indi!ate t e 1eig t o$ an o)*e!t and are used $or t is +ur+ose. A ,ilogram !ontains 1888grams. T e measurement standard $or all im+erial and metri! mass units is a !ylinder o$ +latinum9iridium metal 1it a mass o$ e3a!tly 1,ilogram.

Measuring Time: 7 en +eo+le )egan to measure time. t ey )ased t eir measurement on ! anges $rom day to nig t. t e time )et1een $ull moons. and t e seasons. T ese t ree lengt s o$ time )e!ame t e )asis $or days. mont s. and years. 0ater. t e :a)ylonians di#ided t e time $rom sunrise to sunset into 1/+arts. 1 i! !ame to )e !alled ours. :y t e 1'88s !lo!,s ad )e!ome a!!urate enoug to tell time in units t at 1ere s orter t an an our. T e our 1as di#ided into &8minutes. and ea! minute 1as di#ided into &8se!onds. Time units t at are s orter t an a se!ond or larger t an a year in!rease or de!rease )y units o$ 18. Se!onds !an )e di#ided into tent s or undredt s. A +eriod o$ 18 years is a decade, and a 188year +eriod is a century.

Measuring temperature: T e Italian s!ientist ;alileo de#elo+ed one o$ t e earliest t ermometers in t e late 1<88s. Today. t e most !ommon t ermometers are glass tu)es $illed 1it mer!ury or !olored al!o ol5 as t e tem+erature ! anges. t e le#el o$ t e li4uid mo#es inside t e t ermometer. T ere are t ree 1idely used tem+erature s!ales. 1- T e Celsius =C or centigrade s!ale. is +art o$ t e metri! system. used )y +eo+le in most +arts o$ t e 1orld. and )y s!ientists e#ery1 ere. In t is s!ale. 1ater $ree(es at 8=C and )oils at 188=C. /- T e Fahrenheit s!ale =F. 1ere 1ater $ree(es at 3/=F and )oils at /1/=F under normal atmos+ eri! +ressure. 3.- T e Kelvin s!ale =>, is t e SI unit o$ tem+erature. t e a)solute s!ale o$ tem+erature in 1 i! ea! degree e4uals one ,el#in. 7ater $ree(es at /'3.1< => and )oils at 3'3.1< =>.

Other measurements: Measurement units $or lengt . tem+erature. time and mass are !alled basic measurements. T ese units !an )e !om)ined into ot er measurement units !alled derived measurements. For e3am+le. area is measured )y multi+lying one lengt unit )y anot er to $orm s4uare units. 1 i! are a deri#ed measurement. Some !om)ine t1o or more di$$erent ,ind o$ )asi! or deri#ed measurements. T e s+eed !om)ines lengt units 1it time units. It tells t e distan!e tra#eled in a !ertain time. using su! units as miles per hour, or meters per second. Anot er deri#ed measurement. +ressure. measures t e $or!e a!ting on a unit o$ area. ?ressure units in!lude pounds per square inch and pascals. ?eo+le in #arious $ields use undreds o$ ot ers deri#ed measurements. S!ientists. $or e3am+le. measure ele!tri!ity 1it se#eral deri#ed units. T e volt measures t e $or!e !ausing t e $lo1 o$ ele!tri! !urrent. and t e ohm measures t e resistan!e to t e $lo1. @eating engineers measure eat energy in British thermal units (B !". or in calories. 0ig tings engineers measure t e amount o$ illumination on a sur$a!e in lu# or foot$candles, et!.

SYSTEMS OF MEASUREMENT
T ere are a num)er o$ di$$erent systems o$ measurement. @ere 1e 1ill loo, at t e t1o most !ommon. t e Englis system and t e Metri! system. English system Length/Area 1 $oot 6$t- A 1/ in! es 6in1 yard 6yd- A 3 $eet 1 mile 6mi- A 1.'&8 yards 1 s4uare $oot 6s4 $t- A 1"" s4uare in! es 6s4 in1 s4uare yard 6s4 yd- A B s4uare $eet 1 a!re A ".C"8 s4uare yards A "3.<&8 s4uare $eet 1 s4uare mile 6s4 mi- A &"8 a!res Capacity 1 ta)les+oon 6T- A 3 teas+oons 6t1 !u+ 6!- A 1& ta)les+oons 1 +int 6+t- A / !u+s 1 4uart 64t- A / +ints 1 gallon 6gal- A " 4uarts Weight 1& oun!es 6o(- A 1 +ound 6l)1 ton A /.888 +ounds

Metric System

T e units o$ measurement in t e metri! system are% Length 1 millimeter 6mm- A 8.881 meters 6m1 !entimeter 6!m- A 8.81 m 1 de!imeter 6dm- A 8.1 m 1 meter 6m- A 1 m 1 de!ameter 6dam- A 18 m 1 e!tometer 6 m- A 188 m 1 ,ilometer 6,m- A 1.888 m Capacity 1 milliliter 6ml- A 8.881 liters 6l1 !entiliter 6!l- A 8.81 l 1 de!iliter 6dl- A 8.1 l 1 liter 6l- A 1 l 1 de!aliter 6dal- A 18 l 1 e!toliter 6 l- A 188 l 1 ,iloliter 6,l- A 1.888 l Weight 1 milligram 6mg- A 8.881 grams 6g1 !entigram 6!g- A 8.81 g 1 de!igram 6dg- A 8.1 g 1 gram 6g- A 1 g 1 de!agram 6dag- A 18 g 1 e!togram 6 g- A 188 g 1 ,ilogram 6,g- A 1.888 g

Converting measurements
7e !an !on#ert measurements $rom one unit to anot er unit 1it in t e same system 6Englis or Metri!- or )et1een t e t1o systems. 0etDs say a +ie!e o$ land is /.3 s4uare miles. )ut t e !ontra!tor needs to ,no1 t e area in a!res. @o1 1ould e !on#ert t e measurementE To !on#ert measurements. it is ne!essary to ,no1 !on#ersion $a!tors )et1een measurements. A !on#ersion $a!tor is a !le#er 1ay o$ 1riting 1 as a $ra!tion in 1 i! t e numerator is e4ual to t e denominator )ut t e numerator and t e denominator a#e di$$erent units. For e3am+le. 61.888 m-F61 ,m- is a !on#ersion $a!tor )e!ause 1.888 m A 1 ,m. 61 $t-F61/ in- is a !on#ersion $a!tor )e!ause 1 $t A 1/ in.

An im+ortant $a!t to remem)er is t at 1 en $ra!tions are multi+lied. num)ers in t e numerator and num)ers in t e denominator !an!el out. as s o1n in Fra!tions. Also. units in t e numerator and t e denominator !an!el out% i$ a unit a++ears in )ot t e numerator and t e denominator. 1e !an !ross )ot units out. For e3am+le%

G A G A <. 888 m Using t ese t1o +ie!es o$ ,no1ledge. ere are t e ste+s to !on#erting a measurement $rom one unit into anot er. using t e e3am+le +ro)lem a)o#e o$ !on#erting /.3 s4uare miles into a!res% Step 1. 7rite do1n t e gi#en units as a $ra!tion o#er 1.

Step 2. To t e $ar rig t o$ t is $ra!tion. 1rite an HAH sign and a $ra!tion line. ?ut t e units o$ t e $inal ans1er in t e numerator. E3!e+t $or a H1H in t e numerator. no num)ers s ould )e in t is $ra!tion yet.

A Step 3. 7rite do1n !on#ersion $a!tors. Sin!e 1e ,no1 t e relations i+ )et1een s4uare miles and a!res 61 s4. mi. A &"8 a!res-. 1e !an 1rite do1n / !on#ersion $a!tors%

and

Step 4. Multi+ly a !on#ersion $a!tor into t e e4uation. In order to !an!el out. t e denominator o$ t e !on#ersion $a!tor must a#e t e same units as t e numerator o$ t e gi#en $ra!tion 6t e $ra!tion on t e le$t o$ t e e4uation-. In t is !ase. t e !on#ersion $a!tor must a#e Hs4 miH in t e denominator. Multi+ly t e $ra!tion on t e le$t )y t e !on#ersion $a!tor%

G Step 5. Can!el out t e units and multi+ly%

A 1. "'/ a!res

Step 6. Round t e ans1er to t e same num)er o$ signi$i!ant digits as t e original num)er 6$or no1. 1e 1ill treat our !on#ersion $a!tors as i$ t ey are +re!ise-. /.3 as / signi$i!ant digits. 1."'/ a!res A 1.<88 a!res. T us. /.3 s4 mi A 1.<88 a!res. Conversion factors: Length/Area 1 in A /.<"8 !m 1 $t A 8.38"C m 1 mi A 1.&8B ,m 1 s4 $t A 8.8B/B s4 m 1 s4 mi A /.<B s4 ,m Capacity 1 $l o( A /B.<'< ml 1 gal A 3.'C< l Weight 1 o( A /C.3< g 1 l) A 8."<3& ,g @ere is an e3am+le o$ a !on#ersion $rom metri! units to Englis units% i$ :o) ran a <.8 ,m ra!e. o1 many miles did e runE Step 1. 7rite do1n t e gi#en units as a $ra!tion o#er 1.

Step 2. To t e $ar rig t o$ t is $ra!tion. 1rite an HAH sign and a $ra!tion line. ?ut t e units o$ t e $inal ans1er in t e numerator. E3!e+t $or a H1H in t e numerator. no num)ers s ould )e in t is $ra!tion yet.

A Step 3. 7rite do1n !on#ersion $a!tors. Sin!e 1e ,no1 t e relations i+ )et1een ,ilometers and miles 61 mi A 1.&8B ,m-. 1e !an 1rite do1n / !on#ersion $a!tors%

and

Step 4. Multi+ly a !on#ersion $a!tor into t e e4uation. In order to !an!el out. t e denominator o$ t e

!on#ersion $a!tor must a#e t e same units as t e numerator o$ t e gi#en $ra!tion 6t e $ra!tion on t e le$t o$ t e e4uation-. In t is !ase. t e !on#ersion $a!tor must a#e H,mH in t e denominator. Multi+ly t e $ra!tion on t e le$t )y t e !on#ersion $a!tor%

G Step 5. Can!el out t e units and multi+ly%

A 3.18'< mi

Step 6. Round t e ans1er to t e same num)er o$ signi$i!ant digits as t e original num)er. <.8 as / signi$i!ant digits. 3.18'< mi A 3.1 mi. T us. <.8 ,m A 3.1 mi.

MEASUREMENT INSTRUMENTS
To ma,e a!!urate measurements +eo+le a#e in#ented su! measuring tools as !lo!,s. s!ales. ta+e measures. t ermometers and ot er de#i!es. Measurement 1it tools in#ol#es !om+aring t e o)*e!t or e#ent )eing measured 1it t e units mar,et mar,ed on t e tool. For e3am+le. a ruler +la!ed )eside a +en!il s o1s t e num)er o$ !entimeters and millimeters e4ual to t e lengt o$ t e +en!il. Most measurements in#ol#e reading some ,ind o$ s!ale. T e +ro)lem is t at no matter o1 many su)di#ision t e s!ale as. t e o)*e!t )eing measured is li,ely to $all )et1een t1o o$ t em. As a result. e#ery measurement !an only )e an a++ro3imation. A measurement may !ome !lose. )ut it ne#er mat! es t e s!ale +er$e!tly. 7it out a magni$ying lens. $or e3am+le. a ruler a!!urate only to 1it in a al$ millimeter. :ut sim+le measurements 1it in a $i$tiet o$ a millimeter !an )e made 1it an instrument !alled a mi!rometer calliper.

Measuring tools in!lude a 1ide #ariety o$ de#i!es. ;auges and meters measure su! items as liters o$ +etrol or !u)i! meters o$ natural gas. A ,ilo1att9 our meter measures ele!tri!ity. A s+eedometer measures t e s+eed o$ a !ar or ot er #e i!le. and an odometer re!ord t e distan!e tra#eled )y t e #e i!le. Ot er de#i!es measure t e #olume o$ su! su)stan!es as +etroleum in )arrels.

Instrumentation engineering is t e engineering s+e!iali(ation $o!used on t e +rin!i+le and o+eration o$ measuring instruments 1 i! are used in design and !on$iguration o$ automated systems. T ey ty+i!ally 1or, $or industries 1it automated +ro!esses. su! as ! emi!al or manu$a!turing +lants. 1it t e goal o$ im+ro#ing system +rodu!ti#ity. relia)ility. sa$ety. o+timi(ation and sta)ility. Some o$ t e most !ommon used measurement instruments or tools are des!ri)ed )elo1.

For lengt Ruler% instrument used in geometry. te! ni!al dra1ing and engineering9)uilding to measure distan!es andFor to rule straig t lines. Measuring sti!, !onsisting o$ a stri+ o$ 1ood or metal or +lasti! 1it a straig t edge t at is used $or dra1ing straig t lines and measuring lengt s. Ta+e measure% is a ri))on o$ !lot . +lasti!. or metal 1it linear9measure mar,ings. o$ten in )ot im+erial and metri! units. It is a !on#enient. !ommon measuring tool. Its $le3i)ility allo1s $or a measure o$ great lengt to )e easily !arried in +o!,et or tool,it and +ermits one to measure around !ur#es or !orners. Cali+er or !alli+er% de#i!e used to measure t e distan!e )et1een t1o symmetri!ally o++osing sides. It !an )e as sim+le as a !om+ass 1it in1ard or out1ard9$a!ing +oints. T e ti+s o$ t e !ali+er are ad*usted to $it a!ross t e +oints to )e measured. t e !ali+er is t en remo#ed and t e distan!e read )y measuring )et1een t e ti+s 1it a measuring tool. su! as a ruler. 2ernier s!ale% a #ariation to t e more traditional !ali+er5 t is ma,es it +ossi)le to dire!tly o)tain a more +re!ise measurement. Is a small mo#a)le s!ale t at slides along a main s!ale5 t e small s!ale is !ali)rated to indi!ate $ra!tional di#isions o$ t e main s!ale. Engineers s!ale% ruler. a tool $or measuring distan!es. It is !ommonly made o$ +lasti! and is *ust o#er 388 mm 6t1el#e in! es- long. so t at t e measuring ti!,s at t e edges do not )e!ome unusa)le )y 1ear. It is used in ma,ing engineering dra1ings. !ommonly !alled )lue+rints. in s!ale. Mi!rometer% 1idely used de#i!e in engineering $or +re!isely measuring t i!,ness o$ )lo!,s. outer and inner diameters o$ s a$ts and de+t s o$ slots. Odometer% also named milometer. it is a de#i!e on t e instrument +anel to measure t e total miles tra#eled in t e !ourse o$ t e li$e o$ t e #e i!le. Altimeter% a!ti#e instrument used to measure t e altitude o$ an o)*e!t a)o#e a $i3ed le#el. T e measurement o$ altitude is !alled altimetry. 1 i! is related to t e term )at ymetry. t e measurement o$ de+t under1ater. For Area ?lanimeter% measuring instrument used to measure t e sur$a!e area o$ an ar)itrary t1o9 dimensional s a+e. T e most !ommon use is to measure t e area o$ a +lane s a+e. O+erates 1it a +ointer on t e +lanimeter. used to tra!e around t e )oundary o$ t e s a+e. T is indu!es a mo#ement in anot er +art o$ t e instrument and a reading o$ t is is used to esta)lis t e area o$ t e s a+e. For mass :alan!e% )eam )alan!e or la)oratory )alan!e. is used to measure t e mass o$ an o)*e!t. In its !on#entional $orm. t is instrument !om+ares t e sam+le. +la!ed in a 1eig ing +an 61eig ing )asin- and sus+ended $rom one end o$ a )eam 1it a standard mass or !om)ination o$ standard masses in a s!ale +an 6s!ale )asin- sus+ended $rom t e ot er end. S!ale% A 1eig ing s!ale 6usually *ust s!ale in !ommon usage- is a de#i!e $or measuring t e 1eig t o$ an o)*e!t. T ese s!ales are o$ten used to measure t e 1eig t o$ a +erson. and are also used in s!ien!e to o)tain t e mass o$ an o)*e!t. and in many industrial and !ommer!ial a++li!ations to determine t e 1eig t o$ t ings ranging $rom $eat ers to loaded tra!tor9trailers. For time Calendar% system $or naming +eriods o$ time. ty+i!ally days 6!alendar dates-. Cy!les in a !alendar are o$ten syn! ronised 1it t e +er!ei#ed motion o$ astronomi!al o)*e!ts. A !alendar is also a + ysi!al de#i!e 6o$ten +a+er-. T is is t e most !ommon usage o$ t e 1ord.

C ronometer% is an e3tremely a!!urate !lo!, t at is relati#ely una$$e!ted )y mo#ement or tem+erature ! anges. A ig ly a!!urate time+ie!e. set to ;reen1i! Mean Time and used $or !elestial na#igation Clo!,% is an instrument $or measuring and indi!ating t e time. T e !lo!, in its modern $orm 6/" our !lo!,- as )een in use sin!e at least t e 1"t !entury.

For tem+erature T ermometer% de#i!e t at measures tem+erature gradient. t e 1ord t ermometer is deri#ed $rom ;ree, $ragments thermo $or eat and meter $or measure. It as t1o im+ortant elements. t e tem+erature sensor 6e.g. t e )ul) on a mer!ury t ermometer- in 1 i! some + ysi!al ! ange o!!urs 1it tem+erature. +lus some means o$ !on#erting t is + ysi!al ! ange into a #alue 6e.g. t e s!ale on a mer!ury t ermometer-. Industrial t ermometers !ommonly use ele!troni! means to +ro#ide a digital dis+lay. T ermistor% is a ty+e o$ resistor used to measure tem+erature ! anges. relying on t e ! ange in its resistan!e 1it ! anging tem+erature. T ermistor is a !om)ination o$ t e 1ords t ermal and resistor. For S+eed S+eedometer% de#i!e $or measuring and +resenting to an o+erator t e s+eed o$ a 1 eeled #e i!le. su! as an automo)ile. For ?ressure :arometer% instrument used to measure atmos+ eri! +ressure. It !an measure t e +ressure e3erted )y t e atmos+ ere )y using 1ater. air. or mer!ury. T e 1ater )ased !onsists o$ a glass !ontainer 1it a sealed )ody. al$ $illed 1it 1ater. T e aneroid )arometer ma,es us o$ a small sealed ! am)er !onne!ted to a +ointer me! anism. Mer!ury )arometers use a glass tu)e $illed 1it mer!ury and in#erted o#er a mer!ury9$illed ! am)er. Manometer% is a +ressure measuring instrument. usually limited to measuring +ressures near to atmos+ eri!. T e term manometer is o$ten used to re$er s+e!i$i!ally to li4uid !olumn ydrostati! instruments. A U9tu)e manometer !onsists o$ t1o legs. ea! !ontaining a li4uid o$ ,no1n s+e!i$i! gra#ity. Anemometer% is a de#i!e $or measuring t e #elo!ity or t e +ressure o$ t e 1ind. and is one instrument used in a 1eat er station. For ele!tri!al #aria)les Ele!trometer% is an ele!tri!al instrument $or measuring ele!tri! ! arge or ele!tri!al +otential di$$eren!e. Ammeter% measuring instrument used to measure t e $lo1 o$ ele!tri! !urrent in a !ir!uit. Ele!tri! !urrents are measured in am+eres. en!e t e name. O mmeter% is an ele!tri!al instrument t at measures ele!tri!al resistan!e. t e o++osition to t e $lo1 o$ an ele!tri! !urrent. Ele!troni! gauge used to measure resistan!e o$ an ele!tri!al !ir!uit or +art. 2oltmeter% is a measuring instrument $or measuring t e #oltage )et1een t1o +oints in an ele!tri! !ir!uit. Multimeter% or a multitester is an ele!troni! measuring instrument t at !om)ines se#eral $un!tions in one unit. T e most )asi! instruments in!lude an ammeter. #oltmeter. and o mmeter.